


Moments

by Moon_Mirage



Category: Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Genre: Canon couples, Slice of Life, canon-verse, the other characters are mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-14 09:11:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13586910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Mirage/pseuds/Moon_Mirage
Summary: Cresswell oneshots. A look into interactions we missed out on during and after the events of the books. Canon-verse.





	1. Play Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. After all glitches with FFN lately, I decided that I'm now uploading my fics on AO3 too (thanks to lovelunarchron for sending me an invitation). And I can finally use my Moon-Mirage name with which I'm active on tumblr. :)

Cress had loved and cherished every new experience since she had landed on Earth a few years ago. In the beginning of their travels together, it had been fairly easy for Thorne to come up with new things to show her. Mountains and forests, cliffs and beaches. Then rainforests, waterfalls and meadows. Big metropolitan cities with bright skylines, and cozy villages with ancient buildings, and lively marketplaces. For Cress, everything was new, and for Thorne, it was like he saw everything for the first time too with Cress at his side. Even mundane things like concerts and watching movies were not a waste of time and money like they felt when he dated other girls.

And so it came that Cress and Thorne's plan for the day included watching a game of baseball. Thorne's favorite team, the L.A. Comets, were playing, and since it wasn't an important game but just a friendly match, it had been fairly easy for Thorne to get some last-minute tickets. Not the best seats, but they didn't mind.

Cress even got a baseball cap with their logo which she wore backwards. Thorne didn't want one (it would ruin his hair, he had told her) but wore a blue jersey with the team's faded logo on it. It must have been the least stylish thing Cress had ever seen him wear. Not that it would damage his "natural good looks"—as he would probably remind her—but his jersey and his leather jacket must have been the only things with sentimental value he owned from the time before he was a wanted criminal. She made a note to ask him about it later but for now, Cress just wanted to enjoy her first game of baseball.

They had just finished singing the national anthem after which a few nearby-seated fans had complimented Cress on her voice. She was still blushing by the time they got seated. Thorne smiled proudly as if it were him who got all those compliments.

"I forgot a few words," Cress confessed under breath, so only Thorne could hear.

"Me too," he mouthed back. Although having pledged and sung his way through his school years and major events, Thorne knew the words by heart. He had actually been too distracted by Cress's lovely voice to focus completely on the lines, but she didn't need to know that.

The game was about to start, but Cress was distracted by the roaring fans around them who tried to initiate a popular chant for their team (at least Cress supposed it was popular by the way most chimed in), and the food vendors selling everything from hot dogs to popcorn. Her stomach growled at the sight.

Cress looked up at the monitor where some player or another was shown but the names didn't mean much to her. In the first two years after they started their big world tour, Cress had attempted to research every single place and activity. She had looked up maps and facts and trivia about every single place and although the maps had come in handy (since Thorne, for all of his many talents, didn't have the best sense of direction), most of the other information were superfluous. Interesting, but not worth the time she spent on her portscreen.

Right now, Cress was more concerned with deciding between all those different foods. Hot dogs, pizza slices, peanuts and a variety of sweet treats. Thorne had already waved several vendors to their seats, and bought a few things from everyone. He knew how much Cress liked to sample everything. He also ordered a beer for himself. As always, Cress took a sip from his bottle but was glad to get a green apple slushie instead.

"Sure you got enough?" Thorne pointed with a grin at all the different boxes and plates she had stacked around herself and on her lap.

"Yep. But I could be persuaded to share with you."

Thorne gasped, as if in awe by her selfless offer. "Oh, how gracious of you."

"Always," she said with a wink. "That's part of my charm." Thorne chuckled but then focused on the game, only stopping to sip on his beer.

Cress happily munched on her hot dog. And some fries. And a corn dog. Offering Thorne a few bites as well, which he happily ate from her hands. It didn't take long before her fingers were sticky with grease and ketchup. His remained clean. Typical.

"You want me to explain the game?"

"Nah, I'm good." At the skeptical look he gave her, she cried, "I am."

"Sure. You don't even follow the game. You probably don't even know the score, I bet." Cress tried to sneak a peek at the monitor but Thorne quickly placed his hands over her eyes. "Uh-uh. No cheating."

"I know that this game has everything a good baseball game needs," she said confidently.

"Which would be?" He took his hands from her eyes and looked at her amused.

"Players."

"You don't say?"

"And those sticks they're carrying."

"Bats."

"Bats, right. And since it's baseball, what would it be without ... bases and a ball?" She grinned at him and he laughed at the mischievous glint in her eyes.

He nudged her with his elbow. "Nice try, Miss Darnel." Then he hugged her close to his side and, after looking at her shiny lips, decided to kiss her temple instead. After living in dusty lava tubes and a sterile satellite for most of her life, Cress didn't mind stains or a few specks of dirt

Thorne on the other hand... he loved Cress, no doubt about it. He became a hero for her. But that didn't mean Thorne had to kiss or touch her sticky lips or hands. He had once made the mistake of kissing Cress's hand only to find out afterwards that she had used the very same hands to milk one of Scarlet's cows before proceeding to carry a sick chicken around. No, Cress's temple was the much cleaner option. She seemed happy all the same.

"We're behind, by the way. The team, I mean," he told her, pointing to the current score displayed on the monitor.

"Aww." Those poor guys. All this running around and - wait? Were they even playing? A star-shaped mascot was running and dancing on the field and when Cress looked around, she saw people getting up."Is the game already over?"

Thorne laughed. It was her favorite sound, Thorne's deep, rough laugh that held no malice. It never made her feel like a fool but like they just shared a joke. She saw a few girls turning their heads to look for the source of that laugh but shrugged when they saw his arm around her. Cress shook her head. Thorne didn't even need to try to get girls to notice him. She hugged herself a bit closer to him. Just enough to give those girls the right idea, but they already seemed to have found someone else to swoon over. Good.

"It's just the seventh-inning stretch, darling. Won't be much longer though."

Cress shrugged. "Okay." As if to make her point, she waved a churro around. "I got everything I need."

"We should update our activity feed, don't you think? Let the others know what we're up to right now."

Thorne loved posting about their travels. Cress also liked to revisit the pictures they took afterwards, but generally didn't follow her feed too much. After a life that she lived almost exclusively via netdramas and newsfeeds, Cress loved that she didn't have to anymore. She only replied if their friends posted something, which rarely happened. But Thorne loved to update his activity feed and interact with their many fans. After the revolution, many wanted to know more about what the key players were up to and Thorne was more than willing to post about their adventures and share their best photos.

Thorne held the portscreen so they would both show in the picture. Cress made sure to swallow the last piece of her churro before she smiled into the camera. Thorne would undoubtedly check if they both looked good in it before posting. He nodded and since he didn't take another photo, it meant that it was already posted.

" _Play Ball_. Not the most unique tagline for sure but it will tell people where we are." They heard a ping from his portscreen and Thorne proceeded to open a message. He was expecting the first loyal fans commenting, not a video feed from, "Scarlet! Bonjour, ma chère," he said with an exaggerated French accent, not in the least bothered by the simultaneous groans of Scarlet and Cress. "What can I do for you?"

"Thorne! This is disgusting. All this food can't be healthy for Cress. Remember the time she got sick after that all-you-can-eat buffet in Chicago?"

Thorne couldn't help but grimace at that memory. "Please don't remind me."

Cress looked around her at the copious amount of empty boxes, paper plates and napkins, some of them still showing the last remains of a hot dog bun, some fries and peanuts. Nothing had remained of the churro, the corn dog, or the pretzel. She shrugged, not in the least perturbed. This was nothing on what she'd had in Chicago.

"But Scarlet, we're at a baseball game. And it's the duty of every lawful citizen of the American Republic to consume their sport with as much junk food as possible."

"You can't just feed her junk food all day. I refuse to believe that there is no fresh, healthy food to be found in the American Republic somewhere, despite its reputation."

"Hey, I resent that. Just today, we had blueberry pancakes for breakfast."

Cress heard Scarlet groan again, louder this time. "Please, give her at least something green today, Thorne."

"Already a step ahead of you, my dear." He pointed his portscreen towards Cress, so Scarlet could see for herself. "Show her, Cress."

Cress duly obliged and held up her indeed very green beverage for Scarlet to see with a triumphant smile.

"A slushie does NOT count!" Scarlet cried, exasperated.

"But Scarlet, look." Cress stuck out her tongue. "Ma 'ongue i' geen."

"Beautiful, darling," Thorne said, and Cress knew then he had probably taken a picture of her. "See, Scarlet? I take good care of my girl."

"You! I expect both of you within the next week. I'll get some vitamins into you to make up for your horrendous diet." With that, Scarlet disappeared from the portscreen.

Cress wiped her fingers clean, full and happy. A game of baseball had been a wonderful idea, indeed. Not she had seen all that much of the actual game, but still.

"A visit to the Benoit farm, free food and we don't even have to lift a finger to get it? Sounds good. Anything we need to—" Thorne's eyes flickered as if he had just noticed something interesting. Before Cress could turn around to see what it was, Thorne's lips were already on hers. Instead of being surprised, Cress instantly responded. She closed her eyes and got lost in the kiss.

His spontaneous kisses didn't leave her squeaking and immobile like they had in the weeks following the revolution, but she still felt the rush of excitement nonetheless. His smooth lips caressed hers, as sure as always with a touch of barely restrained passion simmering beneath. The chants, the crowd, the whole stadium vanished and the only thing Cress could focus on was Thorne's lips coaxing hers, his tongue coaxing hers, sending shudders up and down her body despite the growing warmth within her. While his arms slowly released her, his lips lingered on hers for just a touch longer. Pressing a short, sweet kiss to her lips, once, twice, before leaning back.

Cress opened her eyes, still a bit dazed. "That was—"

"Positively disgusting," Thorne said, wiping his lips with his thumb and taking a sip of his beer.

"Excuse me?!" How could he say that? The last less-than-flattering thing he had said to her had been about her long, tangled mess of her when he saw her for the first time. Since then, he had been full of nothing but compliments for her. Cress squeezed her lips together, just in case although why exactly, she didn't know.

"Cress, you taste like ketchup, peanuts and apples. Not the best combo, believe me."

"And you ... you tasted like beer. That was disgusting too."

"I didn't hear you complaining before." He bit his lips in that sexy way only he knew and comically wiggled his eyebrows at her.

And just like that, she had to laugh. She still threw a napkin at him for good measure, hoping it was one with copious amounts of ketchup, peanuts and green apple slushie on it. When that didn't work, she launched at him, and while he managed to keep her hands away from him, she still managed to slobber some "positively disgusting" kisses on his chin and cheeks.

"Ewww, Cress," Thorne cried, but she could hear the chuckle he tried to hide while he wiggled away from her. "Stop it."

"Do you give?"

"Aces, yes." He didn't even try to save his pride!

"Who is the captain?"

It was a game between them, getting the other one to admit who the true captain of the Rampion was. Usually, Cress had no problem leaving that title to Thorne (and he had earned it from Cinder and President Vargas already when he leased the Rampion) and still called him that. But from time to time it was good to take his massive ego down a notch.

"You are. Captain Crescent Moon Darnel. Captain of the endless sky and my heart. Now stop kissing me!"

"Stop kissing you? Are those the words of the famous  _Cadet_  Thorne? Master of love and "connoisseur" of women?" She looked at him with a mock expression of surprise but released him.

He lost no time wiping at his face.

"Positively disgusting and positively evil. Probably the most Lunar thing you ever did." Thorne made sure to say the last part so quietly that only Cress could hear it. New alliance or not, regular people were still wary about Lunars. It would take more than a few years until prejudices on both sides would cease to be.

When he looked at Cress though, instead of a light-hearted grin, she glanced sadly at the fingers of his right hand. The two cyborg fingers there were by now indistinguishable from the rest. Unlike Scarlet, who never got a cyborg replacement to begin with, or Cinder, who still sported her titanium hand, Thorne had decided to get a skin graft. Why not take advantage of the technology they had? They looked and worked just like his other fingers, if lacking the authentic feel, so even Thorne often forgot that they weren't real.

Making sure to use his cyborg fingers, he tweaked Cress's nose before she would, once more, feel guilty about it. "Aside from secretly eating up my favorite ice cream, that is. You still owe me a whole pint of peanut butter brownie, don't forget."

Cress beamed at him once more. "That was my ice cream, and," she added when he tried to object, "I'm the captain today and the captain is always right."

He would have to remember that line. "Is that so?"

"Yep."

"In that case, you won't get the surprise I have for you."

"Surprise?" Cress faltered for a bit. She did love surprises, after all.

"Oh yes," he said, knowing fully well that Cress would hardly be able to resist such an offer. "Just for you. In exchange for my title and the ice cream, that is. Deal?"

Cress looked at him suspiciously and the way she wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips was cuter than should be possible. Thorne resisted the urge to kiss her again, with or without the apple-peanut-ketchup taste. Thorne could see the way she debated with herself and leaned confidently back in his seat.

"A surprise for me? And you're not lying?"

Thorne gasped at her, clutching his chest as if he were wounded. "Lying? Me? To you? Cress, I'm offended that you would even entertain that idea that I, Captain Carswell Thorne, the most amazing, charming and handsome boyfriend ever, would lie to his lady." For good measure, he sighed loudly and shook his head. "My love, have I ever lied to you?"

Cress considered this for a few seconds. "Okay, deal...Captain." She only hoped the surprise would make up for the ice cream. If not, she would just eat it herself...again.

"Good." Thorne nodded. "Look, the game's started again."

And it had. This time, Cress made sure to pay more attention and was soon just as excited as the roaring crowd around her. She clapped and booed alongside Thorne although it was clear from the score that it was unlikely the L.A. Comets would be able to catch up.  
It didn't matter though, Cress still enjoyed herself. Admittedly, she was a bit dejected when their team eventually lost to their opponents. She still kept on her blue baseball cap. The L.A. comets were now her team too, defeated or not.

She glanced at Thorne and hoped he wasn't too disappointed. She knew how much Thorne liked to win. "I'm sorry your team lost."

Thorne looked at her but instead of being disappointed, he seemed downright cheerful. "Ah, don't worry about it. They're not a great team. Haven't won anything in years."

"Aww," Cress couldn't help it, but this loyalty to his team, even if they didn't share his unfailing streak of luck, was endearing. "But you still came and cheered for them."

"Sure did. Old habits die hard," Thorne told her. but before Cress could ask for how long he had been a fan, Thorne's portscreen pinged. When Thorne's good mood increased even more, Cress tried to sneak a peak at the comm. Maybe some comments on their pic? Instead, the comm read CONGRATULATIONS in bright, glaring colors.

"Congratulations for what?" Cress asked.

Thorne thought about not telling her but then again, why should he hide anything from his girlfriend? "Look for yourself."

Tentatively, Cress took his portscreen and opened the comm. The glaring CONGRATULATIONS burst into streams of confetti that fluttered around the display. After they disappeared, a text popped up that was obviously automatically generated.

Recipient ID #0082688359

Subject:  **You've won** (bet number 13-659-XTL-AD-7)

_Dear Mr Thorne,_

_congratulations on your excellent bet on today's game L.A. Comets vs Seattle Cirrus. The bet you've placed amounts to a total winnings of 189 univs. The money has already been transferred to your account. We hope you'll return soon for more sport bets._

The rest of the comm suggested some more games in the next couples of days, but Cress didn't read any further. She could only stare at Thorne, her mouth wide open in disbelief. "You...placed a bet against your own team?!"

Thorne shrugged. "I might be a loyal fan but I'm a businessman first. No chance I would ever set my money on the L.A. Comets after they managed to kick out every player that might have secured us the championship in the last twenty years." After one glance at her pouty face, he added, "Don't look at me like that. Sports betting is a most noble tradition and has nothing to do with playing favorites." Although sports betting was a bit riskier than his usual game of Royals, with a bit of strategy (and his infamous luck) Thorne usually knew how to place a good bet. And the 546 univs he'd just won proved his point.

It still didn't feel right in Cress's opinion, but then again, what else did she expect from Thorne? "Is that the surprise you told me about? Because let me tell you, you winning money by betting against your own team somehow doesn't surprise me."

"You're cute. Have I told you that? I feel it's been awhile."

"Apparently you were too busy being disgusted by my kisses," she retorted. She noticed that the stadium was almost empty by now but she and Thorne were usually the last to leave. They both didn't like having to squeeze themselves through the crowds but rather waited until they had enough room to move. "Now, is the bet the surprise you told me about?"

"Well, someone is impatient. But no, this wasn't the surprise. Let's go and then I can treat my girl—with the money I just won from betting against my own team," he added with a wink.

Cress gathered her belongings and the boxes and napkins she had used but was glad when Thorne offered to take them to the trash. Instead, she looked into her bag for a bubblegum—after all, she did want to kiss Thorne at some point today and by now, even she didn't like the taste that the fast food had left in her mouth. Getting fresh meals on the Benoit Farm sounded perfect right now. She would ask Thorne if they could buy a fruit salad on the way home.

Thorne held out his hand for Cress, glad that they weren't sticky anymore, and led her up the stairs. People were still gathered in the hall, some waiting for friends, others mingling in among the booths that sold merchandise. And as sure as the stars in the sky, Cress steered them towards the booths. This was going according to Thorne's plan, he noted while he let Cress happily browse the stalls. She paid for a jersey that would surely be too big for her. Thorne had the faint idea she only did that because she felt bad that he had betted against his team and wanted to give something back. If only the money for an overpriced jersey.

Cress led him to the booth that showed the best moments from the game as holographs, alongside the usual players' portraits. Most of the moments were caught in a loop and emitted from a small device one could buy. Pitchers throwing the ball over and over again, batters hitting the ball right on, and then…

"That's us! Thorne, look, it's us! We're kissing!" Cress squeaked excitedly, causing several people to turn into their direction. Cress didn't care but pointed at a holograph that emitted a miniature version of them, locked in a passionate kiss. Every detail was captured, from Cress's blonde braids that showed from underneath her blue baseball cap, the faded colors of Thorne's jersey and… "Thorne, are you…checking yourself out in the camera?"

"What?" But there it was, plain as day. One second, holograph-Thorne was leaning passionately into the kiss, the next one of his eyes open as if searching for something, and then holograph-Thorne winked into the direction of the camera. Oh. "Nah, must be a fluke. But stars, we're on the kiss cam, Cress, can you believe it? Isn't that a great surprise, just like I promised? Let's buy it. Let's buy a few, actually," he quickly added with a nervous laugh.

"If you want, you can put the holograph on stand-by, miss," the vendor offered. "See, you can just arrange so it will only show one fraction of the feed or you can adjust it and it only shows the seconds you want." With a pointed look at Thorne, he handed Cress the device.

But she shook her head. "This is perfect, thank you. I wouldn't have it any other way." And she didn't. There he was, her Thorne - just as much in love with himself as he was with her. Well, almost as much as with her. "We'll take one." Before she could, Thorne held out his wrist, so the vendor could swipe his portscreen across it and get his payment. He then handed her the small device, the feed still playing and casting a myriad of colors over her face.

Cress held the device carefully in her hands, the kiss replaying over and over in front of her. "Thank you," she said, but Thorne wasn't sure if she meant him or the vendor. In any case, Thorne thanked him too and steered Cress towards the exit. She fit comfortably under his arm but still didn't take her eyes away from the holograph.

"So...did you enjoy the game?" Thorne asked.

While Thorne had no plans to regularly go to the games (they traveled too much for that anyway), he still hoped that she hadn't been bored too much. Thorne had promised himself to show Cress the world, but by now it became a bit harder to find things that were new and interesting to her. "I mean, we don't have to come back or anything, but was it okay that we went today?"

Cress considered this. She would be lying if she said that she cared more for baseball now, or any sport, than before. But the food had been excellent, and the singing and the shouting and the overall excitement of the people around her had been fun.

But the kiss cam had been her favorite. Cress had obviously known about them, back when she had been stuck in her satellite—even dreamed of being caught on one. If only she had been more prepared for it. Then she could have worn a cute jersey, like the one she just bought, and maybe could have smiled at the camera too.

And Cress had learned, if she wanted something, she had to make it work.

"Sure. Is there a game next week, too?"

"You want to go again?" Thorne couldn't hide his surprise. "You actually liked it?"

"Yes. You know, this time I didn't really focus on the game but next time I will. Maybe learn the rules. Oh, and I haven't tried all the food yet. So, can we go again?"

Thorne considered it. "Well, Scarlet invited us for next week but maybe the week after."

She finally turned off the holograph and stored it in her bag. "Sounds good. After all, I do want to see our team winning." And maybe get featured on the kiss cam once more.

"Ha, good luck with that." Thorne laughed and added, "If you're waiting for them to win, you might as well attend the games for the next twenty years, too. And even then they would need every bit of luck they can get."

Cress hugged herself closer to him as they made their way to their podship. "What a good thing then that they have Captain Carswell Thorne as their biggest fan."


	2. Chapter 2

Since he had regained his eyesight a few days ago, Captain Carswell Thorne had taken his time to thoroughly inspect and reacquaint himself with every inch of his beloved ship (which may or may not or have involved rubbing his head along the interior walls, caressing every surface and cooing to the consoles). More often than not, though, he could be found either in the cockpit or - like now - in the bathroom.

They would dock onto Kai's ship in a few hours and who knew when Thorne would have the chance to shower and shave once they got to Luna? A captain always needed to look his best as long as he could, even amidst a revolution. And Thorne simply enjoyed pampering himself. He graciously applied his shaving cream, glad he could finally shave with his eyesight intact. Cuts and uneven stubbles were not attractive, after all.

He heard the door being activated from the outside but the electric lock kept it shut. Thorne didn't need to wonder for long who else wanted to use the bathroom when he heard a quiet, melodic humming from the other side. Not even thinking about it, Thorne used his elbow to activate the button and the door slid open to reveal a startled Cress. She clutched a towel to her chest, obviously having had the same idea as him. Minus the shaving, probably.

She seemed confused and Thorne was surprised when he felt a bit insecure under her scrutiny. He was used to girls gazing at him appreciatively, trying to catch his eye, but Cress's look had nothing flirty about it.

Obviously.

So much for feverish confessions of love. If only she would ogle his bare chest. But Cress resolutely kept her eyes on his foamy chin.

"Ooh, you're shaving," Cress finally said as if she had just figured it out. She probably hadn't seen anyone shaving before. How young had those other Shells been when she'd left them, he wondered? Although, judging from the mess of hair she sported when he first saw her, razors and scissors had probably been out of the question for Shells. "I'll come back later then." She backed away from the bathroom.

It was the first time in days that the both of them were alone, and Thorne didn't want to miss this chance to ... do what exactly? Talk to her? Stare some more at her pretty face that was now perfectly framed by short, golden curls? Confess ... something? He wasn't sure but he didn't want her to leave yet.

"Or better yet, you can keep me company?" he asked her, not sure how she would take it. Since he had gotten his eyesight back, or maybe even before that, Cress had made herself scarce around him. She was always flitting about or too immersed in some task or another to spend time with him. At least, Thorne hoped that she was, in fact, too busy and wasn't avoiding him on purpose. He missed their time together in the desert. With her talking and singing and confessing, things had been so much simpler then—aside from the severe dehydration, fever and possibility of a gruesome death, that is.

Cress turned around and looked at him with that unfathomable expression again. It was difficult to tell what went on in her mind, Thorne found. He'd never had trouble reading girls but Cress ... Cress was tricky. He thought it would get easier as soon as he got his eyesight back but no. And with her speaking so little since they came aboard, he had few ways of knowing what she thought.

But she finally nodded and leaned against the wall before the open door, hugging her towel. Pointedly staring at everything but him.

Oh well.

Thorne turned to the mirror again, grabbing his razor, and started to shave. His eyes kept flickering to Cress, though, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why this one girl was able to distract him from his own reflection - not an easy feat.

"Sooo, seems like we both had the same idea. I don't know what Cinder or Wolf are doing but I for one am going to take advantage of every shower I can get now."

That got a smile out of her. "Yes. I'll never take water and showers for granted ever again, I think." She sighed but suddenly perked up and sniffed around. His heart clenched uncomfortably at the sight of her cute, sun-kissed nose crinkling in delight. "Oooh, you—, I mean, this, this smells nice."

"Finally someone on this ship appreciates a good soap," he said with a big grin before deciding to let it be followed by a wink. Instead of the rosy blush he was expecting though, Cress just tentatively smiled back. Aces, what did he have to do to get this girl to like him back again? The whole hero business Kai had suggested suddenly didn't sound that unreasonable anymore.

Thorne was surprised when she spoke up, though. "I do. I mean, it's not as if I have anything to compare it to but it smells nice. On the satellite, I only got simple soaps without any scent."

Figures. It wasn't as if he'd had much time to inspect the satellite she had been imprisoned in but judging from the lack of personal belongings, a few simple dresses aside, it was clear that "Mistress" hadn't cared to provide Cress with anything but the bare necessities. And that wouldn't do anymore. "In that case ...," Thorne said, looking through his cabinet. He grabbed one of the expensive soaps, wrapped in equally expensive, crinkled paper, and handed it with flourish to a surprised Cress. "For you, milady."

While he had trouble reading Cress's expressions before, there was no way he could mistake her radiant smile for anything but pure joy now She took the soap with so much wonder and gratitude that it was as if Thorne had just handed her a basket full of diamonds. His fingers lingered a tad too long on hers but he hoped she didn't notice.

"For me?" she asked as if she couldn't believe it.

She sniffed at the soap in delight before looking at him. This time, she looked directly into his eyes and Thorne found it hard breathe. She was beautiful in every way, from her sky-blue eyes to every single freckle peppering her face. He hoped he hadn't messed up any chance he might have had with this sweet girl. So that maybe he could kiss her once more without them being in danger of dying.

Thorne had thought back to their kiss on top of the palace's rooftop probably more often than he should and he felt he hadn't appreciated it enough. It had been epic and exciting - a kiss worth waiting for, for sure. But now he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.

Longer this time.

More passionately, with a touch of real emotions and not just a promise fulfilled.

Still watching her every facial expression, Thorne almost missed Cress thanking him. "I've never gotten a gift before, so this is my first one. Thank you, Captain. I'll cherish it."

"You're wel—wait, what? Your first present?" Thorne asked, perplexed. "Like, ever?"

Cress nodded happily, not aware of Thorne's shift in tone. "Yeah. Mistress gave me some dresses and hair pins but I doubt they count."

"No, certainly not." He couldn't believe it. Nothing in all those years? No wonder she was so delighted by a piece of soap. "Sorry, but no. This can't be your first gift."

"Wha...?" Cress brows furrowed, her whole face an expression of utter dejection. She quickly regained her composure though and tentatively handed back the soap. He didn't take it.

"I didn't mean it like that. Keep the soap, Cress. It's just... that soap is hardly an adequate first gift. Even though it's of top-notch quality." She looked only slightly consoled and it broke his heart. "Listen, when this whole revolution stuff is finally done, you'll get the very best first gift from me. Something that is even better than this soap. Deal?"

She shyly shook her head. "That's alright, you don't have to. In case you have ... other plans afterward."

Thorne rinsed out his razor and grabbed one of the smaller towels. "What could be more important than finding the perfect gift for a damsel? A most heroic damsel, but still." He nudged her slightly, relieved when she smiled again.

Cress laughed. "I don't know about the heroic part."

"I do. So, Cress, any particular wishes for your first present? Hey, when's your birthday? We can celebrate it. The whole gang coming together."

With a tiny shrug, Cress hesitated a bit before answering. "I don't know when my birthday is. A few days ago, I didn't even know who my father was."

Thorne nodded. "That makes sense. But you could find out, couldn't you? Hack into some birth registers and hospital records. Sounds like something you could do in your sleep."

Cress flushed at the compliment. It was as if he had finally found a way to break a few of the barriers that had developed between them lately. She finally nodded and he liked that she didn't try to convince him otherwise. She was a far cry away from being vain or conceited about it, but it was a nice to finally see her acknowledge her worth.

"That settles it. When we reach Luna, we get you into the surveillance room, then you do your very important hacking job, ensuring Cinder can take down the evil queen and look into your birth register." He paused. Thorne wanted to add something about maybe getting Cress to hack into his old account or transferring some well-earned reward money.

But no, he couldn't ask that of her. Not if he wanted to become worthy of her like he promised himself he would. It was tempting, though.

"I could do it from here", she said quietly, interrupting his train of thought.

That surprised him. "You could? Then why don't you? We still have a bit of time until Kai reaches the Rampion. Sounds like something to kill time with instead of just waiting around."

When he looked at Cress, she sported an expression he knew only too well. Thorne had often worn it himself when he didn't want to talk about a certain subject any further. Unlike him, though, Cress didn't smoothly change the subject but remained silent, almost sullen. It was the most teenage-like look he had seen on Cress so far and it made him smile. So, instead of pushing her for an answer, Thorne quietly applied his aftershave, taking his time with it. He knew a thing or two about stubborn teenagers.

"My ... mother."

He looked up to watch her reflection in the mirror. "Yes?"

Cress glanced at him unhappily. "If I were to look for my birthdate, I would also find out about my mother. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

A mother who gave up her child to be killed.

He didn't think anyone would be ready for that and he wasn't quite sure how to answer. Instead, he simply nodded. "Fair enough. Take your time. But Cress, they—" he made a sweeping gesture even though he didn't quite know who "they" referred to. The witch, certainly. Queen Levana, too. But it probably went beyond those two, these systematic prejudices and cruelties. It made no sense to dwell on that now, though. "They already took a lot from you. I would try to get at least something back."

When she didn't answer right away, he shrugged. "Your choice, obviously. But this way you'll get presents and a cake out of it. I heard that Scarlet makes a killer lemon cake. Old family recipe."

Cress visibly perked up at the mention of cake.

He quickly changed the topic. "So, gifts. Anything you always wished for? Something your heart desires?" What could someone like Cress wish for? He thought back to their time to the desert. "Like, some fancy shoes?" he said with a wink, remembering her wistful hope after trekking the desert barefooted.

"Oh, I already got some shoes." Cress wiggled her feet, drawing his focus to some battered canvas shoes.

It took Thorne awhile to realize that she must have gotten them from someone in the caravan in Kufra. They were made for casual strolls in warmer regions, but certainly not for quick escapes from a fight. These shoes didn't seem practical for what they had planned on Luna and it worried Thorne. He didn't want her to slip and fall in case things went awry.

There wasn't much he could do, though. He doubted he could find any leftover military boots that could fit her tiny feet. Tiny feet that led to some very nice, tanned legs, he noticed before he made himself look away.

"I'm sure we will find something better. But okay, no shoes for your birthday." He tapped at his chin. "I'll think of something. But we will celebrate it. With gifts and cake and everything."

"Did your mother bake birthday cakes for you?" she suddenly asked him with a smile. It was a simple question and something in her tone was genuinely curious.

But before he could stop himself, Thorne snorted at that thought. He couldn't remember his mother using the kitchen for anything other than getting something Janette or one of the android bots had prepared before. The idea that his mother would be in the kitchen wearing an apron and ruining her perfectly-manicured nails to bake a cake she could just as easily buy was ridiculous. But Cress couldn't know that and she was obviously confused by his reaction. He would usually change the topic and steer it away from his family and past, but something made him explain. After all, she had opened up to him, too. It was only fair to reveal at least something of his childhood.

"Sorry, Cress. It's just ... my mom wasn't the baking type. Or cooking type. Or anything of that sort."

An image of his mother appeared in his mind: Immaculately dressed, her hair fashionably styled and with a constantly absent expression—as if nothing really mattered to her.

Except when it came to the way her family presented itself to the public.

And opulent birthday parties, always thoroughly planned by some renowned party planner in order to impress the neighbors and friends, were part of that ideal family image. But it hardly seemed justified to be bitter about a lack of home-made cakes when he was talking to someone who had never gotten one in her whole life.

"But she bought some from a bakery downtown. Always shaped like a spaceship."

And expensive like everything Laurel Thorne bought. A designer cake which would have saved him three months of playing Royals if he had gotten the money instead.

"A Rampion cake?" Cress asked, a knowing smile on her lips. Like everyone in his crew, she knew how much this ship mattered to him. But she was the only one who had visited him in his cabin, inquiring after his model spaceship.

"No. But I would have loved that." Fancy racers, but never a plain cargo ship to match the spaceship-themed party he got every year until he was too old for them. Even Janette, who had often snuck him her homemade cookies, had never managed to get the form just right.

If he sounded bitter, Cress didn't seem to notice. "Too bad. I always wanted to try baking. And cooking. I've often watched the food networks with Little ... on my own." She looked thoughtful for a minute."Maybe I can bake a Rampion cake for you? For your birthday? If you still want to meet up by that time?"

Finally done with his beauty routine and knowing he had to let Cress use the bathroom at one point, Thorne stepped away from the sink to face her directly. She looked unsure about her proposal but he couldn't be anything but touched. Here she was, offering to make him the cake he always wanted to have when he was younger.

"Or not," she said when he didn't say anything. "I mean, it's probably harder than it looks. And you probably have other things to do. I just meant... to return the favor, you know? For the gift. And the soap." As if to demonstrate her point, she held up the soap bar. She looked positively unhappy.

"How I could say no to a homemade Rampion cake?"

Thorne was tempted to tweak her nose, and if she had been Scarlet or Cinder he would've had no qualms about it. But this was Cress and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He took his shirt instead and started to dress again.

When he looked at Cress he could see a very pronounced blush on her face. It was unlikely that she was flustered by his flawless physique, as much as Thorne would like to think otherwise. Cress was just not used to guys dressing in front of her and he had to be more careful about that. She looked at everything but him again, probably still unsure about her offer. It was hard to ignore his disappointment but not to hide it. "Sounds like a date. On May 22, by the way."

"I know," Cress said with a small, embarrassed smile.

Ah, her research.

 _Of course_  she would know his birthday. And blood type and final grades, among many other things.

"I know you know. But don't you forget. I'm looking forward to it."

And it was hard not to.

Thorne wasn't worried about the revolution. They would win, simple as that. He had always been lucky and he would easily bet his money on Cinder and Cress and all of them being successful. They would rescue Scarlet and they would defeat Levana, so Cinder could become queen (hopefully he could get in a punch or two when he met that traitor, Jacin, again, too).

But the time afterward... where would he end up? Pardoned in the Eastern Commonwealth but still sentenced for his crimes in Australia and the American Republic? Or would he be free—free to meet Cress and make good on his promise to buy her her first gift? Would she even remember their conversation today? Would she still want to meet him even after she could do whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted ... meet whoever she wanted?

He didn't know and it made no sense to think about it now. That's not who he was. He didn't worry, but planned for the best outcome instead.

And this outcome involved at least two birthdays he could spend with Cress. It wasn't much but it was a start.

An opportunity.

Thorne was good at seizing those.

He was also good at masking his feelings, so that's what he did now. "I'm finished. Thanks for waiting but it wouldn't do to rush. What do you think?" He struck a pose, hand on chin to draw the focus on his now smooth chin and a—hopefully—dazzling smile on his lips.

Cress's blush intensified and he hoped he hadn't made her uncomfortable once more when she answered. "Good. Not as stubbly." And in a smaller voice, she added, "I like it."

Progress. He would take it.

"Me too. Now, the bathroom is all yours." With a small bow, he led Cress into the bathroom, delighted by her small giggle. The door closed behind him and shortly after, the now familiar humming started again, even if it was muffled by the walls between them. He easily picked up the tune and hummed it the whole way back to his cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments would be appreciated. :D


	3. Chapter 3

Cress swiveled in the captain's chair, her bare feet dangling over the ground. It was quiet on the ship and Cress wondered if everyone was already asleep in their quarters. Cress had noticed that the captain, Cinder and Kai (when he had still lived with them on the Rampion) had stuck to a sleeping pattern aligned with the time zone of New Beijing. Wolf might have adjusted too, but since he was mostly in the quarters he and Scarlet had shared, Cress couldn't be sure. And even though Iko didn't need sleep as an android, she usually followed Cinder's lead. If Cinder went to her quarter to sleep, Iko went too - maybe pretending to sleep like the rest of them.

Quickly calculating the current time in New Beijing, Cress figured it must have been around half past ten. She wondered if it was a normal time for people to go to bed or at least, if that was the normal sleeping schedule for the crew. She should have paid more attention.

Cress hadn't experienced the routine of day and night time since she left the lava tubes. There, the lights had turned on and off in (what the shell kids assumed were) regular intervals. After she came to live in the satellite, she had always tried setting up a routine for herself but boredom and lack of physical exercise never allowed for anything but light sleep at odd hours. And when she overworked herself to finish Mistress's task or binge-watched a netdrama, Cress often lost track of time. On-board the Rampion, it usually gave her a bit of free time while everyone was asleep to work in the cockpit.

She had already jammed the tracking device just to make sure no one - Earthens and Lunars alike - would be able to trace the Rampion, and she had deleted the flight route of their podship that brought Kai back to the Eastern Commonwealth. Cress had also re-calibrated their own flight route and followed the newsfeeds to see if the truce held up. So far, the queen had kept her word. In anticipation of the upcoming wedding, reporters from all over the world flocked to New Beijing in hopes to be the first to get some new information. Since the palace didn't give out any news since the kidnapping and return of the Emperor, the newsfeeds focused on the new spread of the letumosis virus. Cress suspected that the queen's truce didn't extend to letumosis. It seemed as if Queen Levana had managed to smuggle more infected Lunars to Earthwith the ships that carried the wolf soldiers. The soldiers that Cress had helped hide for Mistress Sybil.

Cress sighed and rubbed her eyes. It wouldn't do to dwell on that now, especially since there were more pressing matters at hand. For now, there wasn't anything else to do, so Cress considered going to her own quarters, maybe stopping by the galley for a light snack, when she heard footsteps making their way to the cockpit.

The captain's footsteps.

She could easily recognize them. Not as shuffled as Wolf's or bouncy as Iko's. Not as uneven as Cinder's, as the weight of her two different legs shifted with each step. No, the Captain's footsteps were a confident stride, each step steady and purposeful.

The steps came closer, and with tingles shooting up and down her neck, Cress felt rather than heard him approach her chair. "Hey," she heard say him from above her.

She had to crane her neck to see his face over the headrest and then it was upside-down. His easy grin was unmistakable as he peered down at her. "Hello, Captain."

Thorne rested his chin on his hand, the holograms from the invisiscreens illuminating his features with a bluish glow, playing off his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose."Still up?"

"I just finished up a few things." She pointed to the various holograms, displaying their flight route and the codes for the interface even though she knew he wouldn't understand any of it. "It's always easier to concentrate when everyone's asleep so that's when I usually work on my things."

"Oh." She heard him rustling as he moved his hands away from the chair. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'll leave you to your work then."

"No!" She gave a breathy laugh and swiveled the chair to face him. "You're not interrupting me. But we have so many things to plan together that I only have a bit of time to do some last check-ups. I'm mostly done anyway. But I would like some company," she added shyly. It was a strange thing for her to say, but she had come to enjoy company. It was nice to have someone to talk to, or just sitting nearby, after so many years of isolation. Sometimes Wolf joined her in the cockpit, quiet and unassuming, but she took comfort in his presence too. But Thorne's easy jokes and chatter were her favorite.

Thorne smiled, relieved. "Glad to hear that." He walked around to take the copilot's seat, his eyes glancing over the various holograms. He seemed lost in thought, but his voice was clear and focused when he asked, "Say, Cress, do you have access to the maglev train route maps?"

That caught Cress off-guard. "On Luna?"

He nodded but didn't elaborate.

"Um, yes. Of course." She turned to the interface, quickly typing in a few commands. Cress had already hacked into the Lunar database, copying the various maps from the train shuttle routes, the various sectors, as well as the layout of Artemisia and the palace. She quickly pulled up the one Thorne had asked for. "Here. This is the maglev train route map for each of the sectors and the ones connecting the domes with each other."

Thorne studied the map intently. "Any way you could send it to my portscreen?"

"Sure." Her fingers flew over the control panels. "Done. Anything else you need?"

When she turned to him, his eyes had already left the map. Instead, the same intense look was now directed at ... her.

Cress still wasn't used to him having his eyesight back. She knew she had made a sorry sight the first time he had seen her and it didn't seem like his impression had changed since then. Sometimes, she caught him watching her from the corner of his eyes but never knew what to make of it. Whatever his thoughts, she just hoped he couldn't read her lingering feelings for him.

"Um." Cress struggled to find something to say as the silence stretched on. "Do you want to switch chairs? So you can take a look at the maps?" Thorne never complained about her hogging the captain's chair but she had seen him kick Cinder out of the chair when she sat in it. They all knew how peculiar Thorne was about the captain's chair.

He startled at her question but quickly caught himself. "No, it's fine. You're the only exception, though. Otherwise everyone wants their turn and what good is the captain's chair then, right?" He winked at her but he still seemed distracted as his fingers ran over the controls. Cress sucked in air as he came dangerously close to the emergency button but he didn't push it. Of course he didn't. He wasn't blind anymore.

"Speaking of things to share..." He retracted his hand, only to drum his fingers along the armrest. He seemed almost nervous. "If you're finished with"—he gestured towards the invisiscreens—"your smart stuff, would you come to my room?"

Cress's eyes got huge. "Your ... room?" It wasn't as if she hadn't been to his room before. Sometimes to bring him stuff, other times to administer his eyedrops. But never had she been invited so formally.

"It won't take long," he hurried to say. And then a smile tugged at his lips, a tad roguish, just like she remembered from his mug shot. "And I'm sure you're going to like it."

Thorne left a very confused Cress, whistling as he made his way down the hall and off to his room.

Cress replayed his words in her head.

His room ...

Things to share ...

Thorne wouldn't just barge in and invite her to his room for a midnight rendez-vous. Or would he? No. But what else could he have meant?

Her mind a whirlwind of thoughts, Cress had trouble focusing on the task at hand. But the work was easy and her hands seemed to have memorized each step on their own, so she finalized everything she needed in a few minutes.

Cress allowed herself a few minutes to calm her racing heart and try her best to school her features into nonchalance before she slowly made her way towards the captain's cabin.

The door was slightly ajar which wasn't surprising since he was expecting her. She took a deep breath and stepped in. "Captain?"

He whirled around, his hands behind his back. "Cress! Just the girl I wanted to see!"

"Um, you told me to come here."

He winked at her. "Because you're the girl I wanted to see." He took a step towards her. "Nice how it all comes together, right?"

Not knowing how to answer, Cress just shrugged.

At her less enthusiastic response, his face fell a bit. He pointed towards his bed with his elbow. His hands were still firmly clasped behind his back. "Shall we?"

He wanted them to go to his bed? Together? Was the bed what he wanted to ... share with her? She hadn't been prepared for that. Even her hopeful fantasy about a midnight rendez-vous hadn't included them sharing a bed.

Thorne seemed to her guess her thoughts. "No funny business, I promise." He took a seat at the edge of the bed and Cress followed him. "I just don't have enough seating arrangements. I should probably correct that. You think the Lunar palace has nice furniture? A recliner maybe? Or a fancy hammock?"

Cress had no idea but she smiled at the image of Thorne stealing the queen's furniture. "You think Cinder would approve of you taking the things that rightfully belong to her?"

Thorne didn't miss a beat. "Sure. It's not as if Cinder could appreciate any of it." Turning to her so their knees were touching, he took his hands from behind his back and held two fists towards her, his pride evident. "Pick one."

Cress stared at Thorne's outstretched hands. There didn't seem to be any difference between them, so she wasn't sure what she was looking for. Unsure of what to do, she looked at Thorne.

"Just pick one of the hands," he told her. "And don't worry, it's the same thing in both. You can't choose wrong."

Well, in that case ... Cress tapped on Thorne's right hand. He turned it around and revealed something round wrapped in silver paper. There were tiny stars spelling  _Orion's_  ... a name Cress has heard countless times before.

"It's a chocolate truffle with a hazelnut crème filling," Thorne explained and then paused. "You know what chocolate is?"

Cress pursed her lips. "Of course."

A small chuckle. "I know you do. I'm just teasing. But that's not any chocolate.  _Orion's_ is the best of the best. They are produced in France but they are a world-wide brand—"

"Belgium." At his confused look, she explained, "It's from the Principality of Belgium. Not France."

"Interesting. I didn't know that." He actually seemed impressed. "Did you already have some?"

She fingered the hemline of her short dress as she remembered the dull frozen and pre-packaged meals - the only food she'd ever known until she landed on Earth. The stew she ate in the desert had been delicious, and she hated that, after everything that happened with Jina and her gang kidnapping her, the memory had soured somewhat. "I never got chocolate. Or sweets. Mistress only got me food that was healthy." And vitamins and supplements trying to make up for her dull diet and lack of sun exposure.

"I thought as much." There was a small silence. "Anyway, chocolate  _is_ healthy. For body and soul. Here." He handed her one of the truffles.

Cress took it delicately between her fingers. The silver paper was smooth and warm from Thorne's hands. "Where did you get it?" She hadn't found anything close to that on the Rampion, not even as they had raided every crook and nanny to find something—anything—edible. Kai had promised to have more than pickled asparagus waiting for them for when they would get aboard the ship that would take them to Luna.

Thorne had already unwrapped his truffle. It was brown with a white swirl on top and Cress could smell the faint scent of sweetness coming off of it. "From my secret stash. I had a few things stored but most of the things went bad during the time I was in jail. I had a box of chocolate peppermint cookies, a package of premium coffee and other stuff but had to throw everything away. But then I remembered the box of truffles and they are still good I'm sure."

"You hid food from us?"

"Two truffles? Course. It's not as if we were starving. Chocolate might be good for body and soul but it's not very nutritious." At her admonished look he added, "I only had these two left and Cinder didn't really care for chocolate, I gathered, and if I had offered to share the last two truffles with her, she might have gotten a wrong idea about us," he drawled jokingly. "Wolf is on a tomato trip and I doubt he would have taken lightly to me giving Scarlet a truffle. Iko doesn't have taste buds and his Highness probably swims in fancy chocolate. Also, that way, there would be more chocolate for me. It's the last two, after all, and stars know when we'll get something this good again." He took his truffle with the other hand, and sucked some chocolate from his thumb and forefinger. "Also, I shared everything else with the crew. As a captain should," he finished with a proud smile.

Cress studied the little truffle in her hand. If it was the last one ... "You don't have to share it with me. They're yours. It's fine if you want to eat both."

A knowing smile appeared on Thorne's lips. "I knew you would say that. I want to share with you, Cress. I guessed that you never had a real treat, so I figured you would appreciate it." He looked at her sheepishly. "I wanted you to have something nice since most of your experiences since the satellite crash didn't turn out so well."

Cress carefully unwrapped the paper, picking at each edge slowly. The truffle looked the same as the one in Thorne's hand–brown with a white swirl on top and full of promise. Cress had always dreamed of eating all sorts of Earthen food - juicy fruits, spicy stews, warm bread, and so many other things. But nothing, nothing, as much as chocolate. Everyone seemed to love chocolate. Even Thorne had said it was good for body and soul. There was nothing she wanted more than to bite into this sweet treat.

Still, she hesitated.

"What's wrong?"

Cress startled. She hadn't thought that he could see her stalling. What else could he see then? "I was just thinking that I had so many expectations of so many things and then they didn't turn out exactly how I imagined them to be."

There was a flicker of hurt on Thorne's face but it vanished just as quickly. For a moment, Cress wondered if Thorne thought she was referring to him when instead, he was the only thing that had turned out so much better than she could have ever dreamed of. But how could she tell him that without revealing feelings that would never be reciprocated?

Lost for words, the moment was gone, leaving the atmosphere not as light as it been before.

His tone a bit more serious, Thorne let out a sigh before he spoke. "Listen, Cress ... maybe it's everything you wanted, maybe it's not. But the Cress I had gotten to know isn't one to back down from a new experience." Thorne popped the truffle into his mouth, his cheek bulging. He closed his eyes in obvious enjoyment as he ate the truffle. "Unless you want to give up that truffle that easily. I sure won't mind a second helping," he said, the challenge evident.

Cress grinned. The scent was tantalizing and unlike anything Cress had ever smelled before. She bit tentatively into the soft chocolate ... and every taste bud came alive from the rich sweetness. Cress had no reference for the taste but it was wonderful. It melted on her tongue and quickly, Cress devoured the rest of the truffle, licking the rest from her fingers.

"So ..." Cress opened her eyes to see Thorne's heart-stopping grin. "I assume it met your expectations?"

Cress shook her head. "Exceeded them," she told him with a happy sigh. She smoothed out the foil paper, vowing to to save it as a keepsake.

"Good. I'm glad something finally did. As I said, I wanted you to have something nice."

"It was more than nice."

Unexpectedly, his gaze darted to her lips. Cress had to resist the urge to wet them. Without knowing why, the atmosphere changed once more. Where before the tension had been awkward, now Cress felt as if there was anticipation building between them. Cress didn't have the words to express it, but every fiber of her body was suddenly filled with longing. If it were a netdrama, the music would have switched to something soft and wistful.

Slowly, one of his hands reached towards her face, his body leaning ever so close.

Cress's heart thumped loudly in her chest.

His fingers grazed her chin, angling her head. Just when Cress expected him to pull her face towards his, for a second, his eyes darted back to hers. Emotions she couldn't guess passed over his face. As he was drawing her in for the kiss as she expected—hoped for, wanted,  _needed_ —his thumb found the bottom of her lip.

And then he rubbed it.

"Just a smudge of chocolate," he murmured, his thumb gently caressing the corner of her mouth.

Cress wanted to die of mortification. He hadn't wanted to kiss her at all - he wanted to clean her up! If the Rampion's captain's room had a trapdoor, she would have wanted it to open up right under her at that very moment and suck her out into the void. She must have looked like an uncivilized slob who couldn't even eat properly. Thorne would never think of her as an elegant, beautiful woman—she was sure. Not someone he would even considered dating.

She couldn't even blame him.

"There, all good." His fingers left her face. If he shared any of her thoughts, it didn't show. Instead, his smile was soft as ever. But this time, Cress didn't melt at the sight as she usually would.

"I'm sorry," Cress stammered. She quickly stood up, smoothing down the hem of her dress.

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

She didn't answer. "Thank you for sharing your chocolate. I think I should go to bed though."

This time she could read the surprise on his face. "So soon? You know, I have a netscreen here. Maybe we could watch one of those netdramas you mentioned? Would be a nice diversion from all the breaking news about royal weddings and deathly plagues for once."

It was tempting, and only two minutes ago, Cress would have jumped at the chance to join Thorne, maybe snuggling up to him on his bed while they watched a netdrama together. Maybe a romantic scene between two passionate lovers on the screen would have enticed the both of them to share equally passionate kisses off-screen.

But now she was just too embarrassed. It took everything she had not to bolt out of the door. "Maybe another time."

Thorne hesitated but then nodded. "Of course. You want me to accompany you back to your room?" He pointed to the general direction of her cabin.

He was so kind, her heart hurt. If only he were the greedy fugitive she had initially thought him to be. If only he were just the dashing hero she first had a crush on. She could have easily gotten over him much sooner. But Thorne was so,  _so_ much more and it made the realization that he would never feel the same way for her so,  _so_ much worse.

But her time hiding her true intentions from Mistress Sybil had taught her one thing. Plastering a carefree smile on her lips, she declined his offer politely. "No need, thank you. I'll stop by the bathroom first. Gotta brush my teeth," she added. She walked towards the door and opened it. "Goodnight, captain."

Thorne stood up as well, his hands buried in his pockets. "Goodnight, Cress."

Cress stepped out into the hall where everything was dark and quiet except for the constant humming of the engines. She was glad no one was up anymore and she could be alone. As much as she had dreaded the isolation she had been forced into while growing up, she now welcomed the silence. It helped her mind focus, like the way it had needed to in the desert, where she had told herself that every step she took was another step toward leaving her prison behind.

Now, with every step she took, she told herself to leave behind feelings that held her captive just as much.

And still, she didn't let go of the silver chocolate foil.


End file.
